Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) operable to enable play of wagering games are well known. A typical wagering game includes a primary or base game, and certain wagering games also include one or more bonus or secondary games.
Generally, these EGMs initiate a play of the primary game following: (1) receipt of a wager input (such as an actuation of a wager button) that indicates how much the player desires to wager; and (2) receipt of a game initiation input (such as an actuation of a play button). Many of these EGMs determine any primary awards for a wagered-on play of the primary game based on: (1) the outcome of the play of the primary game; and (2) the wager amount. Typically, the larger the wager amount, the larger the primary award (for the same outcome). Winning outcomes that are less likely to occur usually result in larger primary awards than winning outcomes that are more likely to occur.
EGMs operable to enable play of a bonus game usually initiate a play of the bonus game upon an occurrence of a bonus triggering event. These EGMs don't typically require placement of an additional wager to play the bonus game. These EGMs determine any bonus awards for the play of the bonus game (in addition to any primary awards) based on: (1) the outcome of the play of the bonus game; and (2) the wager amount.
For a wagering game, an EGM is usually configured to pay back, on average and over a large quantity of plays of that wagering game on that EGM, a certain percentage of the money players wager on the wagering game. The average percentage of money wagered that the EGM pays back to the players of the wagering game is typically called the average expected payback percentage (AEP %) of the wagering game. The more plays of the wagering game played on that EGM, the more likely the actual payback percentage of the wagering game will approach its AEP %. For a typical EGM operable to provide a wagering game including a primary game and a bonus game, the AEP % of the wagering game includes: (1) the primary game AEP %; and (2) the bonus game AEP % (which takes into account the probability of triggering the bonus game). The primary game and bonus game AEP % are calculated separately, but together form the wagering game AEP %. Wagering game developers can modify the primary game and/or bonus game AEP % to offer different player experiences.
Typical wagering gaming technology provides bonus games that have a single mode and a predetermined length. For instance, one known EGM provides a bonus game including a predetermined quantity of spins of a set of bonus reels. Another known EGM provides a bonus game including a predetermined quantity of spins of a bonus wheel. Another known EGM provides a bonus game in which a player uses a predetermined quantity of picks to pick bonus selections. This wagering gaming technology has grown stale for certain players who desire more dynamic and immersive wagering gaming technology. There is a continuing need to develop new and improved wagering gaming technology to solve this problem.